Convertible dump-car.



No. 639,583. Patented Dgc. 24, mm. H. s. HART.

CONVERTIBLE DUMP GAB.

(Application filed Juno 8, 1901.) (Nb Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I N will g 1 No. 689,583. Patented Dec. 24, l90l.

H. s. HART. v

' CONVERTIBLE DUMP GAB.

(Applica'tion fllod Jun 8', 190m (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

'mz' "cams PETERS c0. muma, wAsamoTcrL D c.

no; 689,583. Patented Dec. 24, l90l.

' ups. HART.

CONVERTIBLE DUMP GAR.

(Application filed Juno 8, 1901.) (lo Model.) 5 Shanta-Shoat 4.

v '0 o o o o 0 0 F Q "Q 1: x i' I m: Norms vzrsas w. miomumo" WASHINGTON m a No. 689,583. v Patented Dec. 24, I90I. Y I H. S. HART.

CONVERTIBLE DUMP CAR.

(Application filed June'fl, 19 01.) (no Model.) s Sheis$haet 5.

- UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIOE.

HARRY STILLSON HART, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To RODGER BALLAST OAR COMPANY, OF OHI AG ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF FiLLIN is:

CONVERTIBLE DUM P-CAR.

SPEGIFIGATIONfOrming part of LettersPatent N 0. 689,583, dated December 24, 1901. Application filed June 8, 1901. 7 Serial No. 63,741. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

car, taken on line of Fig; 1, looking in-the Beitknown that LHARRY STILLSON HART,- direction of the arrow, and also showing a a citizen of the United'States, residing at car converted into a dumping ballast-car of Chicago, in the county of Oookand'State of the well-known Rodger type; and Fig. 6, a

5 Illinois, have invented certain new and usecross-sectional view of the mechanical ele- 55 fullmprovementsin Convertible Dump-Oars, ments shown in Fig. 5 with the parts arof which the following is a specification. ranged to form What is known as a gon- My invention relates to that class of cars dola carthat is, a car with a flat bottom which may be converted from a fiat-bottom and vertical side and .end boards.

I0 gondola car into a ballast-car of the well In the art to which this invention relates it 60 known Rodger? type, or from one or the is well known that it is highly desirable to other of these typesinto ahopper-bottom sidehave a car so constructed and arranged that dumping carthat is, a car which is subat certain seasons of the year, principally stantially A-shaped in cross-section, having summer, when the elements permit, it may an inclined hopper-bottom extending from a be used to carry ballastthat is, the car 65 central longitudinal line at or near the top of should have a hopper the inclined side porthe car downwardly and outwardly toward tions of which should meet at an apex longithe dumping sides or bottoms-all of which tudinal of the car at or near the central porwill more fully hereinafter appear. tion thereof and be provided with one or The principal'object of the invention is to more dumping-doors so arranged as to dump 70 provide a simple, economical, and efficient the ballast in a desired manner between the ballast-car-that is, acar having a hoppertracks. It is also well known that it isquite bottom the apex of which extends longitudesirable at otherseasons of the year orwhendinally of the car at or near the central part ever desirable or necessary that these cars thereof, and in which the discharging door is should be capable of a rearrangement of the 7 5 arranged at or near the apexwhich by reelements, so as to form a gondola orother arrangement of certain parts may be contype of car to carry other freights; otherwise, verted into a hopper-bottom side-dumping it will be seen that the different railroads car or a car which is A-shaped in cross-see would require avast quantity of special cars tion, with dumping-doors at or near the dewhich would lie idle at such time or times 80 pending leg of each side, and which bya furthat they were not in use for transporting the ther rearrangement may be converted from particular loads for which they were adapted. either one of those typesinto agondola car- In this older way therefore it will be seen that is, a car witha flat bottom and substanthat it requires an immense investment of tially vertical side and end doors. 1 capital for a large number of cars, many of 85 The invention consists in the features, comwhich would be idle for a large portion of binations, and details of construction herethe time and'which would not earn all that inafter described and claimed. it is possible for either this capital or the cars In the accompanying drawings,'Figure 1 is to earn, all of which will be understood and 40 a side elevation of a portion of a car conappreciated by those skilled in this particu- 9o structed in accordance with these improvelar art. The principal object therefore of ments; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same, showthis invention is to provide a car that may be ing the car as it appears when arranged to arranged to carry many different kinds of form a car of the well-known Rodger type freighteither ballast, coal, ore, or freight of ballast car, looking at it from above; of any kind. 5 Fig. 3-, a longitudinal sectional elevation In illustrating and describing these imtaken online 3 of Fig. 3; Fig. 4, a plan view provements I have only illustrated or deof the underside of the car shown in Figs. scribed those portions or parts of a car which 2 and 3 looking at it from below} Fig. 5, a I consider to be new, taken in connection cross-sectional elevation of the body of the with so much that is old as will properly disroo close the invention to others and enable those skilled in the art to practice the same, leaving out of consideration other and well-known elements, which, if illustrated and described herein, would only tend to confusion, prolixity, and ambiguity.

In constructing a car in accordance with these improvements I make a supportingframe of the desired size and shape and provide it with a plurality of depending posts or pieces a at each side of the car extending downwardly from the floor and which are braced and connected to the intermediate I beams 12, which form intermediate sills at different portions throughout their length by means of gusset-plates c 0, thus acting to make a very efficient structure, as shown particularly in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, and dispensing with the ordinary side sills. Body-bolsters d are further provided, formed of metal or otherwise, as may seem desirable or necessary, and which are connected to the side and intermediate sills. These intermediate sills are further braced or strengthened, by means of the pieces y, to the hopper portion, and all of the parts taken together form a box-girder. Two longitudinal center draftsills 6, also formed of metal, are provided and secured to the body-bolsters and other parts in such a manner as to transmit the buffing strains andshocks incident to the use of the car throughout its entire length. \Vhile I prefer to make these members of metal, as shown in the drawings and described above, I do not desire to be limited to the use of this material, as it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention can be embodied in a car containing the usual wooden members.

In order to furnish the necessary elements for the convertible car, two vertical side boardsfare provided and secured to the depending posts by means of the vertical stakes g and further braced to the flooring h of the car, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, by means of the angle-blocks t', which are vertically arranged at or near each end and on the inside of the side boards, as shown at Fig. 6, and form a portion of the end walls. as will be more fully hereinafter described. These side boards when made of steel form side girders and are arranged as shown in Fig. 1 and supported on the body-bolster, thus acting to sustain a large portion ofthe load.

It is desirable first to describeand show the elements that are used in forming the ballast-car of the well-known Rodger type, and to provide the necessary elements for this type of car inclined hopper sides are formed, each of which is made in two sections j and is, arranged longitudinally, the apex of which is substantially coincident with the longitudinal center, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 4. The lower section of this hopper-bottom is substantiallyimmovable-that is, it is rigidlysecured to the frame of the car, so that the position of such elements is never changed,

but remains substantially the same. One of such lower sections is provided with a dumping-door 1, (shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 6,) out through which the material may be discharged at the correct angle to form a pile of ballast between the tracks. The inclined upper sections of this hopper-bottom are pivoted at their lower portions to the frame of the car, as shown at m, so that they may be inclined at one time, as shown in Fig. 5, over and outwardly against the side walls of the car to form in connection with the lower portion a ballast-car 0f the Rodger type, or, as shown in Fig. 6, down upon a removable center supporting-beam n to form in connection with other elements hereinafter described a fiat-bottom gondola car. When the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, it it necessary that inclined end boards be provided, so that all the material may be easily discharged. In order to provide for this arrangement, inclined end boards 0 are provided and secured to the inclined hopper sides by means of the angle-plates 19, thus completing the hopper-bottom ballast-car.

To form a fiat-bottom gondola ear, two side floor-sections q are provided, on which when the inclined side hopper-sections are folded downwardly to form a flat bottom, as shown in Fig. 6, these side floor portions complete the floor of the car. The inclined ends 0 are next removed, together with their angle-plates, which are bolted thereby to thejlanged pol tions of the angle-blocks 2', thus completing the vertical end boards of the car and thereby the gondola car. It is also desirable that the same car sho uld be capable of being converted into a car for carrying ore, a car for carrying coal, or a car for carrying any kind of material which it may be desirable to dump at each side of the tracks. In order to provide for this result, these side floor portions q are pivoted or otherwise hinged to the frame of the car at r and held in their up position by means of the chains 5, which are secured to the free edges of the dumping-floor and to rock-shafts t, which hold such floor-sections in position. The removable supporting center beam is further provided with upwardly-extending center posts 11., inclined at the upper portion and tied together by means of an angle-beam '0, so that the upper inclined hopper sides may be swung from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 over and inwardly, so as to rest upon the angle plate on the center supportingbeam, as shown in dotted outline, thus providing a hopper portion' substantially A- shaped in cross-section and having the dumping floor-sections at or near each end thereof,through which the material may be dumped to either or both sides of the track. This center supporting-beam when desirable or necessary is braced to the frame of the car by means of cross-pieces to, which are secured thereto and to the frame of the car, as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, and to which and the vertical posts gusset-pieces a; are secured.

1 tracks when desired or carry freight of the desired kind and dump it on either or both sides of the track. I

' From the foregoingdescription of construction and operation it will be seen that there are many advantages incident to a car .constructed in accordance with these improvements, the principal one being that for'practically the same amount of money that it would cost to build one type ofcar a railroad company can have a car adapted to carry many different kinds of freight, thus saving a tremendous outlay in cars and capital and requiring less yard room, all of which will be thoroughly appreciated by those skilled in the art. Further, the lines of a ballast-car can be exactly followed, and, finally, a dumpingcaris provided which may dump between the J I claimy 1. In a car of the class described, the combination of a supporting-frame portion,.a .h'opperportion having its apex arranged longittudinal of and at or near the center of the car and provided with a discharging-door at or near the central portion thereof, the inclined side portions of which are made in movable and immovable sections-the movable sections arranged to be folded downwardly to form the flat bottom of a car and upwardly and outwardly to form the inclined side of the hopper portion to discharge material through the center of the car, and inwardly and up wardly to form a dumping-car substantially A-shaped in cross-section, substantially as described.

2. In a car of the class described, the combination of a supporting-frame portion, a hopper portion having its apex arranged longitudinal of and at or near the center of the car and provided with a discharging-door to dump material between the tracks, the inclined sides of which are made in two sections-one rigidly secured to the frame portion and the other foldably secured thereto so that it may be laid in a flat plane to form the bottom of a gondola car,inclined upwardly and outwardly to form the inclined sides of a central-dumping-hopper car and inclined inwardly and up wardly to form the inclined bottom of a sidedumping car, and dumping floor-sections pivotally secured to the car at or near each side thereof, through which material may be dumped at either or both sides of the car, substantially as described.

3. In a car of the class described, the combination of a supporting-frame portion, a hopper portion having its apex arranged longitudinally thereof and at or near the center, the inclined portions of which are made in two portions--the lower rigidly secured to the frame of the car and provided with a discharging-door forming a portionof the inclined bottom and the upper foldably secured thereto so that it may be laid in a flat plane to form the bottom of a gondola or flat-bottom car, inclined upwardly and outwardly to form a portion of the hopper sides of a central-discharging car, inclined inwardly and nal thereof at or near the center of the car,

the side portions of which are made in two sections-one a lower immovable section se-' cured to the frame of the car and provided with a discharging-door forming an inclined portion thereof, the upper portion pivotally secured in position so as to form in one position an inclined portion of the hopper in another position the flat bottom of a gondola car, and instill another position to form the inclined hopper-bottom of a side-discharging car, dumping floor-sections arranged at each side of the car longitudinal thereof forming a part of the fiat bottom of the car out through which material may be dumped to either or both sides of the track, and end portions arranged in one position to form an inclined portion of the central-dumping hopper and in another position to form the vertical end walls of a gondola carfsubstantially as described.

5. In a car of the class described, the combination of a supporting-frame portion provided with vertical side boards and hinged dumping floor portions arranged at or near each side of the car, a hopper portion with its apex arranged longitudinal of the car at or near the central portion thereof and made in two sections--a lower immovable section secured to the car-frame and provided with a the lower portion thereof, the upper sections pivotally hinged in position at or near the floor-level to complete a flat floor in one po= sition, inclined to form a portion of the cen-' tral-discharging hopper in the second posi= tion, and inclined inwardly and upwardly to form the bottom of a side-discharging hopper, and end portions arranged to be inclined in one position to complete the central-discharging hopper and in another position between the side boards of the car to complete the vertical end walls for a gondola car, substantially as described.

6. In a car of the class described, the combination of a supporting-frame portion provided with vertical sides and hinged dumping floor portions arranged at or near each side of the car, a hopper portion with its apex arranged longitudinal of the car at or near the central portion thereof and made in two sections-a lower immovable section secured to the car-frame and provided with a dis-,

charging-door forming an inclined part at the lower portion thereof, the upper sections pivotally hinged in position at or near the floorlevel to complete a flat floor in one position, inclined upwardly and outwardly to form a portion of acentral-discharging hopper in the second position,- and inclined inwardly and upwardly to form a side-discharging-hopper bottom, end portions arranged to be inclined in one position to complete the central-discharging hopper and arranged Vertically between the side boards of the car to form end walls for and complete a gondola car in the second position, and a central removable supporting member interposed between the end walls of the car longitudinal thereof to support the inclined hopper-bottom when arranged to form a side-discharging car, substantially as described.

7. In a car of the class described, the combination of a supporting-frame portion, a hopper portion having its apex arranged longitudinal of the car at or near the center thereof, the upper inclined portion of which is adapted to be moved and laid in a horizontal plane to complete the flat bottom of a gondola car, and side-dumping floor-sections at each side of the car longitudinal thereof arranged tobe operated to dump material at either or both sides of the car, substantially as described.

8. In a car of the class described, the combination of a supporting-frame portion, a hopper portion having its apex arranged longitudinal of and at or near the center of the car and provided with a discharging-door at or near its apex, the inclined side portions of which are made in movable and immovable secti0nsthe movable sections arranged to be folded downwardly and laid in a horizontal plane to complete the flat bottom of a gondola car,- and dumping floor-sections arranged parallel and outside of the movable hoppersections and out through which material can be discharged to either or both sides of the car, substantially as described.

9. In a car of the class described, the combination of asupporting-frameportion, a hopper portion having its apex arranged longitudinal of and at or near the center of the car, the upper portion of which is pivotally secured to the car-frame and arranged to be moved into one position. to form an A-shaped dumping-car and into a second position to complete the flat bottom of a gondola car, and dumping floor-sections arranged parallel and outside of such hopper-sections through which material may be dumped to either or both sides of the car, substantially as described.

HARRY STILLSON HART.

\Vitnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, HARRY IRWIN GRoMER. 

